Portable Cooler

ABSTRACT

A newly designed portable cooler with a lateral opening, a lateral cover, a top opening, a top cover, and a storage compartment formed by four walls and a base. The lateral opening traverses through the first wall. The top opening is delineated on the top edge of the four walls located on the base. The user may store or remove food items via either the top opening or the lateral opening, depending on the user&#39;s position relative to the portable cooler.

The current application claims a priority to the U.S. Provisional Patent application Ser. No. 63/110,867 filed on Nov. 6, 2020. The current application is filed on Nov. 8, 2021 while Nov. 6, 2021 was on a weekend.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention generally relates to a portable cooler. More specifically, the present invention provides a portable with an additional opening on the side for easy access to beverages, food, or other stored items within the cooler during leisure activities such as swimming, tailgates, or picnics.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Portable coolers are configured to keep beverages or foods at a desired temperature. Typically, beverages or foods are placed within the portable cooler, which is prefilled with ice or ice packs. The portable cooler, which is mostly made of insulated materials, maintains the temperature of stored contents during the outdoor activities. In order for a user to access beverages or foods within the portable cooler, the user has to open the top lid which covers the entire top portion. Issues arise when the user is conducting other outdoor activities or standing on a different surface as the portable cooler, and has to stand up, move to the same surface as the portable cooler, then bend down to reach into the cooler. For example, it is very inconvenient when the user is standing in the pool and try to reach into the cooler. The user must get out of the pool, open the top cover and reach into the traditional cooler. Another example is during tailgate, the user must stand up from his chair, move over to the traditional cooler, open the top cover to retrieve the stored content.

The present invention presents a solution to the issues mentioned above by adding another opening on a side of the portable cooler. The present invention allows the user to quickly access stored contents from the side opening instead of having to open the top cover. The user can easily retrieve stored item in the present invention while standing inside the swimming pool. Similarly, during tailgate, the user can remain in his seat, simply reach over and open the later cover to reach beverage or food stored within the present invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the present invention with the top cover open.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the present invention with the lateral cover open.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the present invention with both top and lateral cover open.

FIG. 5 is a side view of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a top view of the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a lower perspective view of the top cover.

FIG. 8 is a perspective view of the side cover.

DETAIL DESCRIPTIONS OF THE INVENTION

All illustrations of the drawings are for the purpose of describing selected versions of the present invention and are not intended to limit the scope of the present invention. In reference to FIGS. 2, 4, 5 and 6, the present invention is a portable cooler with a top opening 8 and a lateral opening 4. This new design allows the user to open the cooler from the lateral side while standing or sitting on a different surface than the portable cooler. The present invention has a lateral opening 4, a storage compartment 1, a top cover 10, and a lateral cover 14. The storage compartment 1 comprises a first wall 3, a second wall 5, a third wall 6, a fourth wall 7, a base 2, a top opening 8, and a lateral opening 4. The storage compartment 1 is configured to allow the user to store ice, drink, or other food items. The first wall 3, the second wall 5, the third wall 6, and the fourth wall 7 are perimetrically connected around the base 2, forming a storage space within the storage compartment 1 to store various food items. Those four walls are configured to prevent stored item from moving out of the present invention.

In reference to FIGS. 2, 4, 5, and 6, the top opening 8 is delineated by the first wall 3, the second wall 5, the third wall 6, and the fourth wall 7. The user may introduce various items into the storage compartment 1 via the top opening 8 and retrieve those items from either the top opening 8 or the lateral opening 4. The lateral opening 4 is centrally traversing through the first wall 3. The lateral opening 4 is configured to allow the user to introduce various items into the storage compartment 1 or remove stored items from the storage compartment 1 without bending and reach downward through the top opening 8. This novel feature is very useful when the user is standing or sitting on a different surface than the present invention. For example, the user may stand in the pool and the cooler was placed on the nearby shore. The user can simply reach into the cooler from the lateral opening 4 without getting out of the water, then bending to reach into the cooler from the top opening 8.

In reference to FIGS. 2, 4, 5, 7, and 8, the top cover 10 is connected to the fourth wall 7 with a hinge. The top cover 10 is configured to cover the entire top opening 8 and reduce heat exchange between the inside of the storage compartment 1 and the outside environment. The user may flip the top cover 10 upward to reveal the top opening 8, then proceed to introduce items into the storage compartment 1 or remove items from the storage compartment 1. The user may then lower the top cover 10 to seal the top opening 8 to prevent further heat exchange. The lateral cover 14 is connected to the first wall 3 with a hinge. The lateral cover 14 is configured to cover the entire lateral opening 4 and reduce heat exchanges between the inside of the storage compartment 1 and the outside environment. The user may flip the lateral cover 14 downward to reveal the lateral opening 4, then proceed to introduce items into the storage compartment 1 from the side or remove items from the storage compartment 1. The user may then push the lateral cover 14 upward toward the first wall 3 to seal the lateral opening 4 to prevent further heat exchange. Both the top cover 10 and the lateral cover 14 are made from insulated material to seal off any gaps to prevent heat exchange.

In reference to FIGS. 2 and 5, the first wall 3 is perpendicularly connected to the base 2. The fourth wall 7 is perpendicularly connected to the base 2, opposite of the first wall 3. The second wall 5 is perpendicularly connected to the base 2. The second wall 5 is extended from the fourth wall 7 to the first wall 3. The third wall 6 is perpendicularly connected to the base 2. The third wall 6 is extended from the fourth wall 7 to the first wall 3, opposite of the second wall 5. The first wall 3, the second wall 5, the third wall 6, and the fourth wall 7 are positioned on the same side of the base 2 and forms the container structure of the storage compartment 1. The first wall 3, the second wall 5, the third wall 6, the fourth wall 7 and the base 2 are coated with insulated material to prevent further heat exchange between the storage compartment 1 and the outer environment.

In reference to FIGS. 2 and 7, the top cover 10 comprises an exterior casing 11, an insulated panel 12, and a cavity 13. The insulated panel 12 is concentrically positioned to the exterior casing 11. The insulated panel 12 is enclosed by the exterior casing 11. The insulated panel 12 is configured to further reduce the heat exchange around the top cover 10 when the user closes the top cover 10 to seal off the top opening 8. The exterior casing 11 is connected to the fourth wall 7 by a hinge. This configuration is used to seal off any gap that may exist near the hinge to reduce heat exchange as the user closes the top cover 10 to seal off the top opening 8. The cavity 13 is laterally integrated into the exterior casing 11, opposite of the fourth wall 7. The user may open the top cover 10 by introducing his hand into the cavity 13 and push the top cover 10 upward.

In reference to FIGS. 2 and 7, the exterior casing 11 comprises a free end 19 and a fixed end 20. The cavity 13 is positioned on the free end 19 while the fixed end 20 is connected to the fourth wall 7 by the hinge. In this configuration, the insulated panel 12 may seal any gaps near the hinge or the cavity 13 of the exterior casing 11 to prevent further heat exchange.

In reference to FIGS. 1 and 8, the lateral cover 14 comprises a handle 15, a frame 16, and a transparent panel 17. The frame 16 is perimetrically connected around the transparent panel 17. The frame 16 is connected to the first wall 3 by a hinge. The frame 16 forms the primary structure of the lateral cover 14 and is configured to provide a supporting structure to hold the transparent panel 17, as the transparent panel 17 may be made from glasses or other transparent material, which may be potentially weaker than metal. The user may check the condition within the storage compartment 1 via the transparent panel 17 without opening the lateral cover 14. The handle 15 is connected to the frame 16 and the transparent panel 17. The user may pull the handle 15 and move the lateral cover 14 away from the storage compartment 1 to reveal the lateral opening 4. After the user introduces items into the storage compartment 1 or removes items from the storage compartment 1 through the lateral opening 4, the user may push the lateral cover 14 back and seal the lateral opening 4 to reduce heat exchange and keep the storage compartment 1 at a lower temperature than the outside environment.

In reference to FIGS. 2, 4 and 5, a bottom channel wall 9 of the lateral opening 4 is offset from the base 2. In other words, the lateral opening 4 does not extend all the way down to the base 2. Some storage space is formed by the bottom channel wall 9 of the first wall 3 with the second wall 5, the third wall 6, and the fourth wall 7, so the content stored within the storage compartment 1 does not flow out when the user opens the lateral cover 14 to reveal the lateral opening 4. Moreover, channel wall 9 can also prevent ice water from spilling out of the lateral opening 4 when the user opens the lateral cover 14.

In reference to FIG. 3-5, the first wall 3 also comprises a door release mechanism 18. The door release mechanism 18 is integrated between the frame 16 of the lateral cover 14 and the first wall 3. Some examples of the door release mechanisms 18 are strings, hinges, or stoppers. The door release mechanism 18 is configured to keep the lateral cover 14 at a certain angle as the user completely opens the lateral cover 14. The lateral cover 14 does not open to a flat position, nor parallel to the base 2 of the present invention. Instead, the lateral cover 14 is maintained at an upward slopped position relative to the lateral opening 4 by the door release mechanism 18 when fully opened. This configuration prevents the stored content from flowing out of storage compartment 1 as the user opens the lateral cover 14.

Although the invention has been explained in relation to its preferred embodiment, it is to be understood that many other possible modifications and variations can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A cooler with a lateral opening comprising: a storage compartment; a top cover; a lateral cover; the storage compartment comprising a first wall, a second wall, a third wall, a fourth wall, a base, a top opening, and a lateral opening; the first wall, the second wall, the third wall, and the fourth wall being perimetrically connected around the base; the top opening being delineated by the first wall, the second wall, the third wall, and the fourth wall; the lateral opening centrally traversing through the first wall; the top cover being hingedly connected to the fourth wall, about the top opening; and the lateral cover being hingedly connected to the first wall, about the lateral opening.
 2. The cooler with a lateral opening as claimed in claim 1 comprising; the first wall being perpendicularly connected to the base; the fourth wall being perpendicularly connected to the base, opposite of the first wall; the second wall being perpendicularly connected to the base; the second wall being extended from the fourth wall to the first wall; the third wall being perpendicularly connected to the base; and the third wall being extended from the fourth wall to the first wall, opposite of the second wall.
 3. The cooler with a lateral opening as claimed in claim 1 comprising: the top cover comprising an exterior casing, an insulated panel, and a cavity; the insulated panel being concentrically positioned to the exterior casing; the insulated panel being enclosed by the exterior casing; the exterior casing being hingedly connected to the fourth wall; and the cavity being laterally integrated into the exterior casing, opposite of the fourth wall.
 4. The cooler with a lateral opening as claimed in claim 3 comprising: the exterior casing comprising a free end and a fixed end; the cavity being positioned on the free end; and the fixed end being hingedly connected to the fourth wall, wherein the top cover selectively opens and closes the top opening.
 5. The cooler with a lateral opening as claimed in claim 1 comprising; the lateral cover comprising a handle, a frame, and a transparent panel; the frame being perimetrically connected around the transparent panel; the handle being connected to the to the frame and the transparent panel; a bottom channel wall of the lateral opening being offset from the base; and the frame being hingedly connected to the first wall, wherein the lateral cover selectively opens and closes the lateral opening.
 6. The cooler with a lateral opening as claimed in claim 1 comprising; a door release mechanism; and the door release mechanism being integrated between a frame of the lateral cover and the first wall. 